NEWCASTLE boss Graeme Souness last night admitted that he would be conducting a head count before settling on his side for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United.

The Magpies manager is already facing the massive task of lifting his deflated players following their dramatic UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Sporting Lisbon.

Newcastle were heading for the semi-final for more than 70 minutes, but three Sporting goals in the final quarter of the game sent them crashing out of the competition.

But, while Newcastle's mental wounds may heal in time for their weekend showdown at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, it is likely that most of the physical ailments affecting Souness' players will still be being felt.

Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer are definitely out of Sunday's game as they are suspended following their red cards against Aston Villa.

Titus Bramble is also likely to be missing after limping out of last night's defeat, while Jermaine Jenas is another major doubt after a calf injury forced him off at half-time in the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

Charles N'Zogbia will not even be travelling to Wales - he played on despite breaking his collarbone yesterday - and, with Celestine Babayaro feeling his hamstring, Souness has admitted that the string of injuries could not have come at a worse time for his side.

"We feel that things conspired against us," said the Newcastle boss. "There's nothing we can do but it shows how thin our squad is.

"If we had managed to keep our starting XI on the pitch I would be telling a different story, but we will take this defeat on the chin and start to prepare for a very difficult game in Cardiff.

"We knew with Titus that there was a very real possibility he might not get through 90 minutes but we felt we had to take the gamble.

"We knew that Kieron was another risk because he felt his hamstring just over a week ago. They were two big risks and they didn't come off for us.

"You might not see Charles again this season because we think he has broken his collarbone."

Newcastle looked like cruising into the last four when the dynamic Dyer nutmegged Sporting goalkeeper Ricardo midway through the first half.

But, after tearing the Portuguese defence to shreds during the hour in which he was on the field, the England international was forced to limp off with yet another hamstring strain.

"If you concede four goals in any game you don't deserve to win anything," admitted Dyer. "We've shot ourselves in the foot and only have ourselves to blame."

The build-up to last night's game was overshadowed by Laurent Robert's latest attack on Souness and, after slapping down player power by forcing Craig Bellamy out of Tyneside in January, the Magpies manager yesterday blasted his midfielder for both the timing and the content of his astonishing verbal volley.

Robert accused Souness of failing to communicate with him and argued that he was being singled out for blame despite the entire team failing to perform in their last two league games.

There is some merit to the midfielder's argument but there is no doubt that, by choosing to air his views in the run-up to such a pivotal game in Newcastle's season, Robert knowingly caused maximum chaos to his side's pre-match preparations.

Nevertheless, Newcastle's injury curse could yet earn him a startling recall fon Sunday

"Once again we have had to take our eyes off the ball because of the selfish attitude of one of our players," blasted Souness.

"We have been side-tracked by a selfish, self-opinionated player at a time when this football club is playing its two most important games for 35 years.

"It is totally unacceptable - not only for the management team of Newcastle United and its players, but also its supporters."

* UEFA face a test of their determination to come down hard on football hooliganism when a disciplinary panel deliver their verdict today on Inter Milan following the abandoned Champions League quarter-final at the San Siro.

Inter have been charged by UEFA after AC Milan's keeper Dida was struck by a flare thrown during the derby on Tuesday night.

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